Real estate financing agency Freddie Mac expanded its efforts to foster the greening up of old buildings with its new Multifamily Green Advantage suite of offerings.
The new programs are available with most Freddie Mac multifamily loan products. Borrowers can choose either Green Up or Green Up Plus to get better pricing and increase their Freddie Mac loan amounts to finance energy and water efficiency improvements.
Green Up enables borrowers with qualifying properties to increase the amount of their eligible loan by up to 50% of projected energy and water savings. Green Up Plus increases the loan up to 75%, but this option requires a more detailed analysis, based on an ASHRAE Level 2 assessment.
Freddie Mac projects that about 200 properties per year across the U.S. will be able to go under Green Up or Green Up Plus. “We’re really targeting workforce housing—ideally, assets that are 20 years older or older and may not have had improvements over the past 20 years,” said a Freddie Mac executive.
Related Stories
School Construction | May 3, 2016
Florida clamps down on school construction spending
Critics fear rules will hamper ability to build schools with desired features.
Resiliency | May 2, 2016
Connecticut to develop new code standards for resiliency
Expected more frequent severe weather events due to climate change prompts review.
Contractors | Apr 29, 2016
OSHA issues advisory to protect workers from Zika virus
Construction industry workers considered at high risk.
Codes and Standards | Apr 28, 2016
New research finds 30 measures to significantly cut energy use
ASHRAE’s prescription cuts across all building types and climates.
Codes and Standards | Apr 27, 2016
Florida gives developers more time to install first responder radio signal systems
Expensive upgrades can be postponed for several years.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2016
San Francisco becomes first big U.S. city to require solar panels on new buildings
Pertains to commercial and residential buildings shorter than 10 stories.
Codes and Standards | Apr 25, 2016
GSA adopts SITES land development and management rating system
Federal agency will use for properties with and without buildings.
Wood | Apr 22, 2016
Revised 2015 Manual for Engineered Wood Construction available
American Wood Council Document offers design information for structural applications.
Codes and Standards | Apr 20, 2016
OSHA updates eye and face protection standards in final rule
Becomes effective April 26.
Codes and Standards | Apr 18, 2016
Efficiency finance pilot project to spur retrofits on existing buildings
EDF and PG&E team up on interest-free loans for qualified projects.
